Close encounters of the rhino kind

Rhinos are herbivores and generally friendly beasts. So a game walk in Matopo National Park in Zimbabwe seemed like a good idea. Especially since "game walk" means we drive around looking for signs of rhinos and then jump out of the jeep to track them on foot. We had huge success and by the end of the day had stood in front of eight rhinos. Most calmly continued to chomp on the grass while we watched. By far the most exciting were two adolescent males whose curiosity brought them within 15 feet of my crouched position. I don't recall too many recent experiences that were more frightening than staring down the barrels of these two unpredictable youths. The standoff ended when someone in our group sneezed and the two rhinos literally jumped, spun around and ran off. I knew going in that they can run faster than I can, but to see a nearly 2 ton meat tank with a big horn move that fast is more than a little scary.